Pre-populated Search Results In Electronic Program Guide Data

• US 20080022308A1
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Garcea, Federico
• Application Number:
  US11/459,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20080022308A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

Pre-populated search results in electronic program guide (EPG) data is described. In an embodiment, EPG data includes asset information which corresponds to a media content asset where a value is associated with a descriptor category to describe the media content asset, and a tag is associated with the value to pre-populate a search result by identifying related media content assets which are related to the value. The EPG data that includes the asset information can be communicated to a television-based client device to pre-populate the search result such that, upon receiving a viewer-initiated search request at the television-based client device to identify related media content assets associated with the value, a display of the related media content assets associated with the value and identified by the tag can be generated from the EPG data at the television-based client device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving electronic program guide (EPG) data that includes asset information which corresponds to a media content asset, the asset information including descriptor categories;

a value associated with at least one of the descriptor categories to describe the media content asset; and

a tag that identifies related media content assets which are associated with the value;

receiving a viewer-initiated search request to identify the related media content assets which are associated with the value; and

generating a display of the related media content assets identified by the tag in response to the viewer-initiated search request, the display of the related media content assets being generated from the received EPG data.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the display of the related media content assets is generated without initiating a request to a content provider to provide the related media content assets.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

initiating a request to a content provider to provide additional related media content assets which are related to the value;

receiving the additional related media content assets from the content provider; and

generating a display of the additional related media content assets.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the related media content assets are associated with the value based on at least one of:

viewer recommendations;

viewer requests;

associated fees;

associated language.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the related media content assets associated with the value include video-on-demand (VOD) assets.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the related media content assets associated with the value include video-on-demand (VOD) assets, and wherein the tag also identifies additional data associated with the VOD assets.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the related media content assets associated with the value include video on demand (VOD) assets;

the tag also identifies additional data associated with the VOD assets;

the additional data associated with the VOD assets is initially hidden from view when generating the display of the related media content assets; and

wherein

the additional data associated with the VOD assets is displayed in response to receiving a viewer-initiated selection of a VOD asset from the display of the related media content assets.

8. A method comprising:

associating asset information with a media content asset in electronic program guide (EPG) data which can be communicated to a television-based client device, where the associating includes;

associating a value with a descriptor category to describe the media content asset; and

associating a tag with the value to pre-populate a search result by identifying related media content assets which are related to the value; and

communicating the EPG data that includes the asset information to the television-based client device that can receive a viewer-initiated search request to identify the related media content assets which are associated with the value by the tag, and generate a display of the related media content assets from the EPG data in response to the viewer-initiated search request.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the related media content assets are associated with the value based on at least one of:

viewer recommendations;

viewer requests;

associated fees;

associated language.

10. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the related media content assets that are associated with the value include video-on-demand (VOD) assets.

11. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the related media content assets that are associated with the value include video-on-demand (VOD) assets, and wherein the tag also identifies additional data associated with the VOD assets.

12. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein:

the related media content assets associated with the value include video-on-demand (VOD) assets;

the tag also identifies additional data associated with the VOD assets;

the additional data associated with the VOD assets is initially hidden from view when generating the display of the related media content assets; and

wherein

the additional data associated with the VOD assets is displayed in response to receiving a viewer-initiated selection of a VOD asset from the display of the related media content assets.

13. A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a request from the television-based client device to provide additional related media content assets which are related to the value; and

communicating the additional related media content assets to the television-based client device.

14. A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising the television-based client device:

receiving the EPG data that includes the asset information;

receiving the viewer-initiated search request to identify the related media content assets which are associated with the value; and

generating the display of the related media content assets from the EPG data.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the display of the related media content assets is generated at the television-based client device without initiating a request to a content provider to provide the related media content assets.

16. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising the television-based client device:

initiating a request to a content provider to provide additional related media content assets which are related to the value;

receiving the additional related media content assets from the content provider; and

generating a display of the additional related media content assets.

17. A system comprising:

a content provider configured to associate asset-information with a media content asset in electronic program guide (EPG) data such that a value describing the media content asset is associated with a descriptor category, and a tag is associated with the value to identify related media content assets which are related to the value; and

a television-based client device configured to;

receive the EPG data that includes the asset information from the content provider;

receive a viewer-initiated search request to identify the related media content assets which are associated with the value by the tag; and

generate a display of the related media content assets from the EPG data in response to the viewer-initiated search request.

18. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein the television-based client device is further configured to generate the display of the related media content assets from the EPG data without initiating a request to the content provider to provide the related media content assets.

19. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein the television-based client device is further configured to:

initiate a request to the content provider for additional related media content assets which are related to the value;

receive the additional related media content assets from the content provider; and

generate a display of the additional related media content assets.

20. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein the content provider is further configured to:

receive a request from the television-based client device to provide additional related media content assets which are related to the value; and

communicate the additional related media content assets to the television-based client device.